


Blind Love and Deaf Hearts

by Blackandsilver28



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alya and Nino are volunteers, Alya knows sign language, F/M, French sign language, Miraculous Care Center, blind kitty, blind!adrien au, deaf bug, deaf!marinette au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2018-12-27 03:05:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12072327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackandsilver28/pseuds/Blackandsilver28
Summary: Adrien Agreste, a boy raised in isolation to hide his blindness from the media dreams of going outside and feeling the offered breeze. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a shy girl who tries to find her voice and not let her deafness get in the way of her socialization dreams of a place where she could make friends and be herself. Two teenagers struggling with their disabilities find a way to better themselves when they become Ladybug and Chat Noir, superheros of Paris. Chat is now able to find the liberation he craved for so long but is too afraid to let down his partner with the truth of his infirmity. Ladybug has discovered her voice but still hides her impairment from her partner so not to have him lose faith in her leadership. In unlikely circumstances, their civilian-selves meet at the famous Miraculous Care Center, a place for all ages and disabilities. Will their indignity in their defects cause them to be all the more oblivious to each other, or will they finally find confidence in themselves and confide in their partner?





	1. Welcome to the Miraculous Care Center

“We have arrived, monsieur Agreste.” 

Adrien frowned at the low gravely voice of his chauffeur and sighed heavily in contempt as he felt the limo lurch to a halt. The promised half-hour drive had come to a painful end and all he could think of was what he could do to convince his driver to speed up and leave the place far behind.

A click brought Adrien back to the present and away from the several escape plans swirling in his mind, most of him involved transforming into his alter ego and making a run for it. 

Knowing his planned escape would never work, he listened to the driver’s door open and shut seconds later, imagining his burly driver running around the car to open his door for him. Sure enough, the wall beside him disappeared with a click and a welcoming gust of chilly October air blew into his face.

“Take my hand, Adrien,” Nathalie, Adrien’s assistant ordered gently and Adrien reached out aimlessly until he felt the extremity grab hold of him and help him out of the car. Gentle chatter rode the breeze over to him and Adrien got lost in the calm neighboring voices, his exceptional hearing tuning into the closest conversation which happened to be of an old man and his granddaughter. 

“Why is father sending me to a place like this?’ Adrien scowled. “I’m not a senior citizen. I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”

Nathalie’s sigh was expected but he still felt disdain towards the older woman when the habitual sound reached his ears. “You know full why Adrien. Gabriel believes that it would be good for you to get out of the house a bit and make some friends-”

“-I’m not making friends with old disabled grandparents at bingo night,” he interrupted. “You know as well as I do that all Father wanted to do was get me out of the way.”

“You just turned seventeen, Adrien. I thought by now you’d stop assuming Gabriel despised you.” She paused and Adrien imagined the pitiful look on her face.”Perhaps he just wanted to give you a chance to make some friends? You’ve been moping around a lot recently.”

Adrien snorted rudely. “If father had wanted me to make friends, he would have ten years ago. Instead he isolated me and kept me hidden from society. He didn’t want the tabloids to know that his perfect son was actually damaged.”

He could feel Nathalie’s oncoming retort but it was smothered by a friendly voice. 

“Hello! Welcome to the Miraculous Care Center. Adrien Agreste I assume?”

Adrien turned to where the voice was coming from and set his unseeing eyes on the obvious female who was in front of him. “That's me.”

“Wonderful! We have your room set up already Monsieur Agreste. My name is Caline Bustier and I’m the head of the teenager’s program here at the center.

Adrien’s eyes widened in surprise. “Teenagers?”

Madame Bustier’s laughter was sweet without being condescending at all. “There are a lot of people your age too, Monsieur Agreste. This isn’t a retirement home for seniors. Many different people of all different ages come here to mingle with others who are in a sense like them. This is a community of friends who want a safe haven to be themselves. And that does include people like you.”

Adrien wondered if his guide meant people with the same age as him or with the same disability as him but he didn’t question it, simply offering a small smile to the woman.

“I’m sorry to leave you like this, Adrien, but your father wants me back,” Nathalie cut in. “Can you get settled by yourself?” 

Adrien nodded with a grunt, still a little angry towards the busy assistant as he listened to Nathalie’s heels turn and click away with a couple more mumbling apologies. The telltale slam of the car doors soon followed suit and then the turn of the engine. Adrien shifted away as his one escape came to life and left him in a swirl of scattered dead leaves and disturbed dust. Well, that’s how his imaginative brain dramatized it, at least. Whichever way it went down, he knew one thing for sure: he was left behind from everything and everyone he knew.

“Would you like to get on with the tour?” Caline’s gentle voice once again stirred him from his thoughts and with a heavy sigh, Adrien nodded in defeat. 

A tender hand brushed against his and Adrien jerked back with a grunt of shock.

“I’m so sorry monsieur Agreste! I should’ve asked of you would take my hand as I guide you,” the tour guide apologized in conciliation. 

“I can lead myself,” Adrien snapped. His fears were coming true. He was going to be herded around this place on a leash by a nanny, and everyone there was going to see the poor blind son of Gabriel Agreste being tugged like a dopey puppy.

“Can you please take my hand, Adrien? This is just for the tour, I promise.”

It must have been the genuine note in her voice bordering on a plea, or maybe the image of him tripping up the stairs as he tried to walk guideless popped into his mind, but whatever the reason, Adrien’s hand seemed to unwillingly reach out to hers.

She wrapped her hand around his, smooth and soft, yet weathered in all of the right places to showcase the hard work she had endured with them. A callous on the bottom of her thumb where she most likely gripped her pencils and pens; Grooves on the tips of her fingers where countless papers and documents cruelly sliced through the worn flesh. Adrien relaxed instantly at her touch as the extremity wrapped around him suddenly became a reassuring presence in this unfamiliar place.

“Lead the way,” he huffed.

He could practically feel the glow of Caline’s smile as she gave him a slight tug forward and expertly directed him up each of the steps so he wouldn’t miscalculate and end up sprawled out on the stairs. The surrounding conversations grew louder the more they walked onward until madame Bustier came to an abrupt halt with a slight squeeze of her hand to also pull him to a rest beside him.

“Sorry, door,” she explained with a grunt and Adrien felt a rush of air conditioning swing at him as the door flew open. 

If the outside chatter had been loud, this new wave of noise that greeted him seemed to put air horns to shame. 

“We are currently in the lobby,” Caline explained, her voice booming in his ear to parry the onslaught of commotion that flooded his senses. Adrien swiveled his head around the room, coming to the conclusion that it was gargantuan from the way the clamor seemed to float up high without bouncing off the walls and echoing back. The cacophonous symphony of several people filled his ears and he self-consciously ran his free hand through his blonde hair.

“The lobby is pretty big,” Caline continued, affirming his theory. “It has caregivers at the standby just in case someone is in need of assistance. There are also translators at the ready.”

“Translators?” Adrien asked. He listened curiously to a conversation that sounded German.

“Miraculous Care Center is the largest center in all of Europe. We occasionally have visitors who are not from France and, as our motto states, everyone here is welcome so our translators make sure everyone can feel safe and included here during their stay. We also have special interpreters for those who communicate with sign language.” 

Adrien nodded in understanding. “So will I get a caregiver that helps me not bump into things?” he asked humorously. 

Madame Bustier hummed with amusement. “I will explain how our Teenage program works later when we get to your room. For now, I’ll lead you to the Commons.”

Adrien felt the older woman tug his hand and he complied, following her as she led him past several conversations and groups of people, including what Adrien smugly identified as Mandarin. Up ahead, excessive chatter and the sound of a mass of people flooded his senses, disregarding his useless function of sight. 

Forget air horns, this sounded like a whole lighthouse foghorn was endlessly blaring into his ears. Also flooding his senses was the mingled aroma of different kinds of food.

“This is the Commons,” Caline explained, her voice once again booming loudly in his ears as she battled the other sounds in the area. “Most guests hang around here and play games that are available. There is also food available at slotted times. Lunch should be ready in about an hour.”

Adrien nodded, his nostrils flaring again at the trace of several different kinds of food.

“There are tables to eat at and couches to lounge in. If you don’t want to eat in here with all of the noise, we have a lovely garden outside with picnic tables. Some people prefer the quiet outside to inside where it's a bit louder.”

The deafening cafeteria was making Adrien unnerved so with a polite request, Madame Bustier led him out and he breathed a little easier now that the boisterous room was fading behind them. 

“The Teenager Program is on the third floor,” Caline explained. “Would you like to take the stairs or the elevator?”

Adrenaline pumped through Adrien’s body and he was tempted to run up the stairs as fast as he could in an attempt of proving how easily he could care for himself without the need of nurses and caregivers to hold his hand all the way up. He was practically in motion, already conceptualizing his footsteps and preparing to spring forward in a blind dash up the stairs. But some nagging thought in the back of his mind caused him to turn away. Some questioning “what-if” echoing through this thoughts at the assumption of not seeing one of the steps and tripping in front of the mingling people around him. With a reluctant sigh, Adrien requested the elevator. 

Madame Bustier herded him into the tight space and his feet lurched beneath him as the elevator moved up. Adrien gritted his teeth, hating the way his body swayed with the irregular movement, a cause created by being unable to predict where the elevator was stopping. A small ding sounded and the older woman grasped his hand once again and pulled him into a room, away from the uncomfortable motions of their transportation. 

The room they walked into had small groups of people talking in their own crowds but thankfully it was not nearly as boisterous as the Commons.

“Here is the Teenager Lounge,” Caline explained. “People ranged from twelve all the way to eighteen are able to relax here. There is a snack area to the right of you that holds anything from chips and candy bars to waters and sodas. Also, there's some tables to eat at in the very back of the room directly in front of you. 

“To your left,” Caline continued and Adrien swiveled to face the area she was explaining, “there are the restrooms, two for the respective genders.”

As Adrien listened, voices of laughter echoed from one of the bathrooms, the girls’ he guessed, from the chirping pitch of the voices.

“Now to your room,” Madame Bustier tugged on his hand and they turned to the left, past the crunching and salty fragrance of greasy potato chips that were in the snack area and into a hallway.

“There are a lot of doors along the way,” Caline described. “You will most likely need help from your caregiver to get to your room safely.”  
Adrien huffed softly. The thought of needing to rely on someone for a simple task such as going to your room made him agitated about his disabilities. “So my nurse or whatever has to basically put me on a leash?” he asked crossly.

“Nurse? On no, Adrien. This isn’t a hospital. Caregivers are dedicated volunteers who choose to spend their days making new friends and helping them out. The caregivers for teenagers are teenagers as well who either want to earn community service hours or just love making new friends and helping others make friends as well.”

Adrien blinked in confusion. “So I’m basically getting assigned a new friend slash person who makes sure I don’t bump into things?”

Caline hummed as if he had hit the nail right on the head. “In fact, your new caregiver should already be in your room when we walk in.”  
Adrien froze and his guide stopped in her tracks as well. “Is something wrong?” she asked gently. 

“I, uh, didn’t know I was going to meet anyone today,” Adrien confessed. “Especially not anyone my age.” Gabriel hadn’t wanted anyone to come in contact of Adrien when he was younger and find out he had been born disabled so he never went to school and never really interacted with anyone his age.

The only exception had been a girl his exact age named Chloe who was the daughter of one of his mother’s model friends. Adrien never really liked being around Chloe. She was always either grabbing on him sweetly or being a rude snob to the workers at his house. He hadn’t really seen her at all lately but still expected her to be a spoiled brat around him.

“We have paired you with someone who is very nice and relaxed,” Madame Bustier reassured him. “And he doesn't have to be with you while you’re in your room. If you want to open up and be friends with him than you boys can hang out but nothing is forced. He can merely just be there to make sure you don’t ‘bump into things’ as you put it.” She tugged his hand a bit and Adrien forced himself to follow her, although his steps were a little more reluctant.

“Here's your room, Adrien,” Caline announced and they came to another stop. “I have your card right here.”

Adrien jumped when he felt the plastic card wedge its way into his free hand. He ran his thumb across the smooth material. 

“If you feel right here, you’ll find the scanner.”

Adrien extended his hand and touched the smooth wood of the door before feeling around until he came across the bulky scanner on the door. He lifted the card to it and grinned when he heard the beep as it read it. His hands once again felt along the door for the doorknob and once he did feel the object, he gave it a twist. The door opened and Adrien shuffled inside. 

“Oh, Nino, you’re already here!” Caline said from behind Adrien and she squeezed past him to address the person in the room.

“Uh, yeah Mlle. B,” Nino replied. “Monsieur Damocles wanted me to be here for when you dudes arrived.”

“Adrien, this is Nino, your Caregiver,” Mlle Bustier introduced them.

“Uh, hey,” Adrien greeted him awkwardly as he extended his hand. He felt the boy’s own hand grasp his in a handshake.

“Nice to meet you, dude,” Nino responded. They ended the handshake stiffly and Adrien gazed around the room although both people in front of him knew full well that he couldn’t see anything.

“Nino, why don’t you explain to Adrien what is around him and help him get unpacked. Lunch isn’t for another thirty minutes so you two can hang out here or in the Lounge. As for me, I have other tours to do and meetings with the other Caregivers,” her voice dropped to a soft, comforting whisper. “I really hope you like it here, Adrien.”

“Thanks mlle,” Adrien acknowledged sincerely.

“Bye Mlle. B,” Nino threw in before her heels clicked out the room and the door closed with a soft thump.

Both boys were plunged into an uncomfortable bout of awkward silence as they tried to conjure up another ice breaker.

“So, uh, how does one become a caregiver?” Adrien managed to speak first. 

He could feel Nino shift as if shrugging. “Actually, to tell you the truth, I got into some real bad trouble at school so they assigned me some community service hours here. After that, I made a lot of friends and decided to join here full time,” Nino explained.

“So do you have other people to care for?” Adrien asked curiously. 

“Nope. There’s only one caregiver per guest. I never really have anyone who stays around for long. They usually leave after a couple months. But some stay for quite a bit. One of my friends here, Alya, has been with the same girl for almost two years now.”

Adrien hoped to never be here that long. The poor girl who was stuck here for that long must be pulling her hair out with boredom.

“Alya and Marinette would love to meet you,” Nino continued. “I think you’d get along with Alya. She’s really loud and passionate about what she does. Marinette is a little more shy but still very sweet.”

Adrien just nodded, his heart beating faster at the prospect of meeting new people his age. “They do sound very nice.”

“I usually eat lunch with them, if that’s okay,” Nino explained.

“Oh, yeah. That’s fine,” Adrien asserted, face warming up. “I can just eat by myself.”

He was unprepared for Nino’s laugh. “No, dude. I was inviting you to eat with us.”

“Oh!” Adrien exclaimed as his face heated up even more, suddenly feeling stupid. “Okay, sure. Sounds great.”

“Alright then. We should probably start unpacking if we’re going to make it to lunch on time,” Nino suggested. “Your luggage was dropped off earlier. In front of you, against the back wall is a bunk bed. Sometimes, guests and their caregivers stay in the same room together. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, of course. There are rooms for just caregivers too.

“To your right is your dresser where you can put your clothes in. Right next to that, on the wall behind you is the closet. Then to your left is a night stand where you can store other things if you need extra space or whatever.”

"What about a window?" Adrien asked carefully. He didn't want Nino to be suspicious but he had to know there was a way out if Chat Noir was needed. 

He could feel the volunteer's questioning glance. "Right beside the bed."

“Cool,” Adrien declared with a sigh of relief. “Let’s start unpacking.”

***

It didn’t take them long to sort out his clothes and belongings and put them away. They finished right before there was a loud ring alerting the guests that lunch was now being served in the Commons.

“Let’s go before the hallways get too crowded,” Nino urged him. Adrien followed him to the door and they closed it behind them, hearing the lock click behind them. Almost instantly, someone bumped into Adrien, throwing him backwards with a gasp of surprise. 

“I’m sorry dude,” Nino apologized. “Why don’t you stay closer to the wall so no one else crashes into you?”

Adrien complied, switching places with the caregiver and cringing as the hallway grew more noisy as more and more people came out of their rooms. The elevators were filling fast so Adrien felt himself being herded to the stairs by Nino.

He liked the way the caregiver didn’t try and grab his hand and lead him like most people did in his life. Nino simply stood by him, pointing out where the railing of the stairs were in case he needed it and telling him he had landed on the last step so he knew to keep walking forward. The way Nino led him allowed him to be independent but was still monitored enough to make sure he didn’t ‘bump into things.’

The noise grew even louder as they walked closer to the Commons. The smell of grease and taco seasoning hit Adrien’s senses first.

“Okay, Nino, now where?” Adrien turned to his side and asked but instead of hearing the voice of his caregiver, he was met with a huge, wall-like torso which then shoved him backwards with some threatening language. Desperate to not land on the ground, his arms lashed out blindly (literally) to seek out some structure that could catch his fall. All he attempted to do was latch on to another body and pull the mysterious person down on him with a surprised squeak.

“I’m so sorry!” Adrien apologized quickly. “Are you okay?”


	2. Falling For You Already

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know how hard it is to write a dialogue-based chapter in the point of view of a deaf girl? Super hard. Just so there's no confusion, all of the French Sign Language is done in brackets and because Marinette can read lips what she reads is normal dialogue in quotation marks. However, reading lips is not easy and not fool-proof so the ellipses in the quotation marks are to show that she missed a word that was spoken. Thank you so much for the past Kudos and please enjoy!

Marinette’s eyes widened as she gazed at the blonde boy who was splayed out underneath her and her breath caught in her throat when she was jarred into a sense of recognition. 

It’s strange how one can completely forget a huge part of their adolescence but then have the memory flood back at a simple sight. Right now, the face staring down at her was triggering years of teenage anxiety, social awkwardness, and celebrity crushes.

The only thing missing from the boy whose lap she was sitting on and the image of cluttered magazine clippings on her walls at home was the glimmering emerald eyes she had studied that had always seemed to bore into her old premature mind.

This boy, however, did not have said bright eyes.

Instead, his was a pale whitish-green, almost the color of the lime green crayon every kindergartner purposefully snapped in half and threw away. 

Said eyes blinked in bewilderment at their tumble and from the lack of response. His mouth moved with questions that Marinette was too stunned to read from his lips and after a while of her remaining silent, he frowned and his eyebrows narrowed while the rest of his expression took on a perplexed look. 

His lips were moving again. Marinette’s eyes trained on them and she watched carefully to see what he was saying. 

“So, uh, come here often?”

She couldn't help but laugh at the blind man’s awkward humor and he looked even more confused when he could hear her giggles.

“I take it, you're not one for making …..,” he huffed shyly and his hand flew to the back of his reddening neck while his handsome face took on a blooming blush.

Deciding the boy had enough with the guessing games, Marinette reached forward and took the hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously into her own before directing it towards her ear. His screwed up face relaxed when he came into contact with the organ and the piece of metal that was perched inside and a sense of realization came across his face.

“Oh, you’re deaf.”

She inwardly cringed as she let go of his hand and as if he sensed her sudden urge to disappear, the boy finally leaped to his feet and reached out a hand to help pull her up. Marinette took it gratefully and allowed him to pull her up to her full height, which was nowhere close to the boy’s towering stature. 

Marinette wanted to flee but as she turned to leave, she caught the helpless expression in the young man’s face that caused her to hesitate.

He looked unsure of where to go, with his face becoming redder with each passing second and his milky eyes flitting around the room despite their inability to see. Her heart panged with pity so, with an inward sigh, Marinette gently took his hand again and ran her thumb over the back of it in reassurance.

The boy jumped at the sudden contact but relaxed when he realized that she was back to help him. 

With a slight tug, Marinette led him over to the lunch table where her caregiver met with her during their lunch break. The young woman would be able to ask the blind man who his caregiver was so they could locate them easier than her wandering around to every caregiver in the Commons.

Her blues eyes flitted between the surrounding people, seeking out where her caregiver had brought their lunch. At last, she saw the familiar red curls of her friend and next to her, the recognizable red hat that adorned Nino’s head.

Her caregiver had her eyes narrowed into a threatening expression while the young boy beside her flinched. By the slump of his shoulders, Marinette could tell that he was ashamed about whatever the redhead had admonished him for. As she drew closer, tugging the helpless boy along, she was able to see both pairs of her friends’ lips and mouths and could easily read what they were saying, after learning their lips for a long time.

“How could you lose a blind boy on his first day here?” Alya was visibly seething.

“I don’t know, ….. He kinda got …. away with the crowd.”

Marinette turned to look at the boy who was holding her hand, watching as his unseeing eyes lit up in recognition of the voice.

“Come on, Nino. I thought you were going to help me not … into things.” Marinette smiled at the snarky retort and laughed a little as both caregivers turned to see the missing guest with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Nino’s lips moved so fast, Marinette couldn’t read them in time as the boy in the red cap ran forward and hugged the blind kid, who looked surprised at the sudden contact.

Alya rushed forward too, her hands moving like rapid fire and Marinette watched her interpreter, watching to see what she said.

[Where did you find him?] Alya signed.

[He nearly tackled me] her hands complained. 

[Nino is talking to you] Alya warned her and Marinette turned just in time to see the boy throw his arms around her. She could feel the vibrations from his throat so she knew he was talking to her, but with his face buried in her neck, she couldn’t read what he was blabbering on about.

Nino eventually released her and she could finally see the way his lips moved as he rapidly talked. “Do not tell Mrs. T! She will kill me!” Nino whined. “Are you going to tell her, ...?”

All eyes were on the blond blind man and he seemed to sense it. “Don’t worry about it, bro,” he replied to the caregiver’s relief.

Marinette turned back to Alya in time to see her friend sign, [over dramatic,] with a roll of her hazel eyes.

[Lunch?] Marinette signed back. [Saving the day makes me really hungry.]

[I already got our lunches but we’ll have to wait on the boys]

[By our usual spot?]

[Right by the window so you can look outside] Even though they were already communicating with their hands, Alya’s mouth spoke the words out loud and translated them to the boys.

“Uh, aren't there tables ...?” The blind boy asked, his face scrunched up in discomfort.

[Is something wrong?] Marinette signed to Alya.

The caregiver had her hazel eyes trained on the newcomer as he said something Marinette missed as he attention was elsewhere.

Finally, Alya turned back to Marinette. [It’s really loud in the Commons] she explained. [A-D-R-I-E-N suggested we eat outside today. Is that okay?]

Marinette paused at the sight of the boy’s name. Adrien. [A-D-R-I-E-N A-G-R-E-S-T-E?] she asked hesitantly.

She watched as Alya asked aloud, Witnessed the surprise flash across Adrien’s face. Saw his lips part with a singular word. “Yes.”

[Son of G-A-B-R-I-E-L freaking A-G-R-E-S-T-E] Marinette explained. Alya’s mouth moved as if to translate those words out loud but Marinette waved her hands. [Don’t translate that!]

“Why don’t you guys go get some food and meet us outside at one of the picnic tables?” Alya suggested.

“Sure,” Nino agreed quickly. “Come on, bro.” Marinette trailed them with her eyes, watching as they disappeared into the busy atmosphere until she could no longer see them.Alya waved a hand to get her attention. [Let’s go find a spot] she told her, handing her tray to her while she equipped her own.

[So, Gabriel Agreste, the famous fashion designer that you look up to?] asked Alya awkwardly with one hand due to her lunch balancing in the other.

Marinette nodded slowly.

[That wrinkly old dude is the father of that eye candy?]

Marinette looked at her friend in mortification. [Alya!] she admonished, face growing red.

[Can’t you see the irony of this? Guy looks like that and can’t even see himself in the mirror!]

[I’m begging you, please stop!] Marinette pleaded with her friend.

[Okay, okay. I’m sorry.] Alya apologized, although she didn’t look remotely sincere about it, her lips still cracked open their usual toothy grin.

[Adrien is the face of the company. Well-] She pictured the boy again, looking into his milky greenish-white eyes. [some of him is, anyway.]

[What do you mean some of him?]

[I never knew he was blind] Marinette explained. [I think magazines photoshop his eyes or something.]

Alya looked at her in shock. [That’s terrible! Imagine having to keep a part of yourself secret just to keep your image in the tabloids all teenage heartthrob. At least he’s getting out of his house now and has the ability to socialize with people his age.]

Marinette let the conversation drop, the pity she felt towards her celebrity crush causing a frown to pull on the edge of her lips. She had never thought about the effects of disabilities to celebrities and it pained her to see for herself the discrimination against impairments in the industry she was hoping to get into when she was older.

The duo finally left the loud cafeteria behind and entered the peaceful outdoors where a chilly breeze greeted them, shaking the nearby branches of trees and swirling already dead leaves into a lively whirlwind of reds, oranges, and yellows. Marinette watched the exchange, breathing in the earthy scent of the autumn air and sighing in content. [Why haven’t we eaten out here before?] she asked Alya, whose hazel eyes were also following the fluttering movement spurred on by the wind’s gentle touch.

[I don’t know but I love fall] Alya laughed.

Of course, Marinette could never hear her friend’s snickers but she could tell from the wide smile on her face and the slight shaking of her shoulders that she was giggling and not having to choke to death.

The side of the building was lined with a wide reddish-brown deck that stretched all the way around the Commons area where various picnic tables the same shade as the wooden platform was settled, complete with swampy green umbrellas at every table. Some of the tables were already taken, mostly by seniors eating with their caregivers or with visiting family members.

Alya and Marinette claimed the closest table that would make the boys’ search for them easier, and the two girls chose seats across from each other so they could sign to each other without awkwardly looking to the side.

Alya started working on her cafe-styled ham sandwich but Marinette ignored her own chicken and rice bowl and set her eyes on the landscape instead. 

Abnormally green grass expanded from the deck out across the acre until it met with a well-kept hedge surrounding the area and making the yard seem all the more secluded. Tiny trees were sprung up across the expanse, their branches almost barren but their skeleton-like bodies an eerily beautiful reminder of the season against the divergently viridescent background.

A flash of movement out of the corner of her eye cause Marinette to look back at Alya who was pointing behind her. She turned to see Nino and Adrien make the way to the table, Nino grinning widely while Adrien followed more with an unsure half-smile.

“Ladies,” Nino greeted with a wink.

Marinette rolled her eyes at Alya and the reddish-haired girl seemed to scoff as her lips said, “dream on, Lahiffe.”

Nino showed Adrien to his seat which was next to Marinette while he claimed the one by Alya all to himself.

“How do you eat that?” Alya asked the tan-skinned boy, gesturing to the greasy mound of pizza stacked on his tray. 

“Slowly so I savor every bite,” he replied snarkily, taking his first bite of the food.

Adrien, meanwhile, was stirring his thick tomato soup slowly with a spoon, brows crinkled as if he was lost in thought.

“So Adrien,” Alya started, her hazel eyes finding his cloudy ones as he glanced up at her with a slight jump. “Marinette tells me you’re a model,” she said with a mischievous glance towards the slowly reddening girl.

Marinette, in turn, found the redhead’s shin and gave it a jab with her toe. Alya visually jumped to the deaf girl’s satisfaction.

“Uhhh, yeah. It’s kind of a family business,” Adrien responded, looking uncomfortable.

“Because your dad is Gabriel Agreste? Famous fashion designer?” The caregiver had her journalism persona on, everything from her edge-of-the-seat stance to her slightly narrowed but still gleaming eyes.

“Yes,” Adrien admitted stiffly.

[Alya, stop.] Marinette warned. [He obviously doesn’t want to talk about it.]

“That’s cool,” Nino butted in with a swift glance at Marinette, his expression full of questions.

Focusing so much on everyone’s lips was giving her a slight headache so Marinette looked back at her meal, ignoring the conversation as it drifted from the obviously sore subject into how excited everyone was for Halloween.

Movement alerted her back to Alya, who was waving her hand to get her attention back.

[We’re going as Ladybug and Chat Noir, right?] Alya sighed while she spoke aloud for the boys.

[As long as I’m Chat.] Marinette responded.

[Obviously,] Alya laughed. [I already got my Ladybug suit.] 

Marinette was about to respond but she paused at the tug on her arm and turned to face the blond. “You like Chat Noir?” he asked.

The blue-haired girl felt her face growing warm. [Well, yes,] she signed to Alya who spoke aloud for her. [Everyone just adores Ladybug. No one actually gives Chat credit.]

She glanced at Adrien, taking in his perplexed look. “But he always gets turned against her by the Akuma,” Adrien pointed out. “And if he was so great, wouldn't he be able to purify the Akuma by himself?”

Marinette suddenly found herself growing defensive. [He’s the one who throws himself in front of every attack so sorry if one of the blows he takes for her ends up making him a minion. He may not have purifying powers but he is brave and protects Ladybug with everything that he has. Without Chat Noir, there would be no Ladybug.]

“I didn’t know he had any committed fans,” Adrien huffed.

[He should have more,] she countered. 

Then, the blind boy did something she never expected him to do. He smiled.

The deaf girl smiled back, fully aware he couldn't see it but still glad that she had seemingly given up on their friendly argument.

[How are you with your Chat costume?] Alya asked, bringing the conversation away from the heroes and back to the hero costumes.

Marinette’s face burned, knowing everything she would say would be translated to the blond sitting next to her. [I’m working on it.] she replied slowly.

[Oh yeah, I forgot you were making it yourself. A Dupain-Cheng original. Damn. I should have asked you to make mine.]

“You design your own costumes?” Adrien asked, looking interested and not at all ashamed that he had lost the dispute.

[Sometimes,] she replied shyly.

“And she’s the best at it,” Nino declared, causing the blue haired girl to redden even further. “You should see her designs-” he cut himself off, gaping in horror at the blind boy. “I-I mean, not see but you know…” he tapered off, eyes widened and face flushing with embarrassment. “Shit, I’m sorry bro.”

Adrien laughed, and as Marinette watched him, she wished, for the billionth time, that she could be able to hear. The blond was already a visually radiant person but she still longed to know the sound of his cheerfulness, to feel connected to him, to share his happiness.  
But she was so distant from everyone. So left behind because she couldn’t communicate or keep up.

The only person she had ever really connected with is Chat Noir.

The two of them hardly speak, so interrelated that she could follow his lips with ease, after reading them for two years now. And she had no trouble communicating back to him. With her strong Ladybug persona, never mind years of speech therapy, she wasn’t ashamed of her voice. She made it a voice that her partner and the city of Paris had come to respect and glorify.

Imagine if they knew their confident Ladybug was Marinette? The voice in the back of her mind asked haughtily. What if they knew she was deaf?

Just as she had witnessed growing up as a deaf girl in a hearing world, she would be ridiculed, belittled, and treated with disdain. Paris would lose faith in their superhero. Chat Noir would no longer be confident in her leadership. She would be forced to give up her miraculous, the thing that gave her a voice and a chance to not let her deafness dictate her life.

She’d rather die than give up her freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sighs very deeply* Not gonna lie, that wasn't my favorite chapter. Do not worry for there will be some LadyNoir in the possible future *cough cough* next Chat-pter. Thanks for following along and please leave Kudos!


	3. City of Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After disappearing for two months, some promised and well deserved LadyNoir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: Many studies have found and proved that blind or visually impaired people have the ability to perform their own kind of echolocation. Although for blind people it's just standard know-your-surroundings stuff and not used for navigation like bats and dolphins. However, the subjects in the study didn't have a magical catsuit. ; )

The only things he could hear were soft murmurs bidding people to bed and the sound of two pairs of feet echoing down the hallway, one belonging to him and the other to the silent caregiver beside him.

It was past 21:00, the curfew for the teenagers to retire to their rooms and the enforced quiet hour for the entire building. 

“Your door is coming up on the left,” Nino whispered to him and Adrien muttered a quick thanks before slowing down to feel the wall for a door.

With some helpful instructions from Nino, he was able to locate the scanner and slid his card in, satisfied at the sound of the beeping that granted him access.

Adrien didn’t want Nino to sleep in his room that night so he sent him off with an awkward smile.

Not that Adrien didn’t like the guy, but he’s had a room to himself for seventeen years now and with the setting already unfamiliar, he didn’t need to tack on a roommate to his list of things he needed to get used to.

It was better for him because he wanted to sneak out that night and meet his lady, which would be very hard if he was under surveillance by his caregiver.

“I’m hungry! Where’s my cheese!” 

Plus he had an annoying gluttonous god in his pocket which would be very tricky to hide from someone living in close quarters with him and he didn’t want to imagine the conversation that would ensue after that discovery.

“Don’t worry, Plagg. I’ve got a whole bag of your stinky camembert,” he groaned, locating the bag and opening it to release a wave of noisomeness air. 

The cat-god gave a hoot of pleasure and Adrien felt the impact of his body diving into the bag, followed by several loud chomps and smacks.

Earlier that day, Nino had described the window to him but he thought it would be easier to locate with the help of his super feline senses.

“Now that you’ve had your cheese,” Adrien started, running his thumb down his ring finger, lingering when it got to the slick piece of jewelry.

“Why do you always rush me? I never have time to digest,” complained the Kwami.

“Plagg, Claws Out!”

What followed next was up to the imagination of the blind boy. He pictured an elaborate transformation sequence, complete with a colorful background, flashing lights from the Kwami entering the ring, and dramatic poses as the leather suit appeared on his body.

Adrien opened his eyes.

The reality of magic is a disappointing thing. Although it equipped him with a glamorous disguise and magical functions, he still had that lack of visual sensation.

But he could see.

Albeit not the normal way where the wavelength of reflected light hits the light-sensitive retina at the back of your eye and forms an image to send to your brain.

To make up for the dysfunctional nerves between his eyes and his brain, his other senses were heightened, much like an actual cat. His ears were a lot sharper and he could detect the movement of things by listening closely to their steps, or even to the faint sounds of their breathing. His sense of smell was also elevated. Now, he could pull in lingering scents and tell what was around him just by identifying them so if an Akuma was throwing something his way, he could detect the threat by the smell and dodge the oncoming attacks. It especially helped him navigate around the city because he was now able to gauge his surroundings.

The weirdest and hardest ability to surmount had been what he could perceive from just talking and feeling the resounding sound waves bounce back to him: his own form of echolocation. He couldn’t exactly use it to tell what’s around him, but it did help him get a more visual aspect of things. And instead of wasting his words on pointless chat-ter, why not fill them with thoughtful and purr-fect cat-puns?

“Alright, let’s do this,” he said aloud, tuning into the sound waves until he could tell the glass material apart from the rest of the plaster walls. He crossed the room, navigating around the corner of his bed, which he would have stubbed his foot on if he hadn’t scented the woody smell.

Chat reached out a leather-bound glove and felt the smooth material, letting his claw-tipped hands feel their way down the glass and to the jutting sill. With a heave and a small grunt, he lifted the window pane, letting the chilly October air flow into his room.

The cat-themed teenage superhero swiftly grabbed his baton from his back and extended it down to the ground. The telltale thump of metal against concrete reached his ears, giving him an idea of how high up his room was. Chat climbed through the window and with another experimental thud against the ground, he leaped, throwing his weight on the protracted stick and vaulted his way across the courtyard. When he felt he was halfway to the top of the arching path and the earth, his staff nearly making a forty-five-degree angle, he retracted his baton once more, giving himself up to the mercy of gravity.

He entered freefall, heart hammering because he was now unable to calculate how close the ground was and how close he was to imminent death. When he believed he had been falling for a thrilling enough amount of time, he extended his baton ahead of him so that he could once again soar in an arching pattern. He did that over and over, though the light feeling in his chest and the wide grin pulling at his lips did not falter once. With a whoop of delight, and for his special echolocation abilities, he made his way to the one building that was easiest to decipher from the rest: the Eiffel Tower.

Where he always met his Lady.

She was there already. He could smell her sweet scent, like sugar cookies and vanilla, and he parted his mouth wider to drag in the intoxicating aroma. She may smell like sugary sweets but to him, the fragrance was symbolic for so much more. The scarce but thankfully peaceful nights they share in each other’s company, the sometimes wearisome obstacles they face together and conquer as a team, her authority over their partnership yet her desire to let it be known that they are both just as important as the other. 

It was also the scent of guilt, of hidden truths, and of the certain disappointment that would follow after the discovery of certain secrets.

Chat pushed away the negative thoughts and forced a purr to his lips. “Fancy seeing you here, my Lady,” he greeted her.

His smile tripled when the silence between them was ended by an adorable giggle. “I was hoping I’d see my alley cat tonight.” Chat’s heart skipped at the notion of possession in her words. My alley cat.

“At your service,” he grinned before taking an exaggerated bow. Her laugh was the most melodious note he had ever heard. He could listen to it on repeat for forever. The gentle bubble coming from her lips was the best reward he should ever hope for and he found himself striving day after day for the brief period in which he was granted the pleasure.

He crept closer until he was next to her, then allowed himself to swivel his feet over the railing so that they were dangling in the air, occasionally swinging back and forth.

“You’re quiet tonight,” he observed aloud, breaking the silence that had come over them. It was true, usually Ladybug was sparking conversation, letting small stories from her civilian life creep into her carefully reserved words.

He felt her shift, as if suddenly uncomfortable. “Sorry, Chat. I was just thinking…” she trailed off. 

“Nothing to a-paw-logize for, my lady,” Chat joked cheerfully. 

“Ch-Chat,” she stuttered, seeming hesitant to ask him something. “Have you ever met someone that you’d only ever seen from far away and thought you knew everything about him but then you meet him for real-in person-and he’s not what you’d imagined at all?”

Chat mulled over her words, thinking carefully. He couldn’t really relate in person to her- he grew up with hardly any contact with anyone and he had never really seen a person from his past before. Besides, it sounded like his Lady was referring to a guy and as much as he recognized the tingle of envy, he wanted to help her with whatever was worrying her.

“Is he worse than you imagined?” 

“No that’s not it at all. He’s just…”

“-different,” Chat finished for her.

“Yeah.” Ladybug sounded upset. “It’s strange to think you have someone figured out, to believe that you’re so dedicated to them but then you find something else out, something obvious about them and you begin to question whether you had known them or your own imaginary version of them.”

Chat stiffened. His Lady’s words were hitting a little close to home. As much as he hated hiding his blindness from her, the thought of her trust in him as a partner wavering filled him with dread. Just as everyone else in his life, she would dehumanize him, belittle him because of his disability, just as his father isolated him from the media, just as Mrs. Bustier had instructed him to hold her hand. 

He couldn’t bear to feel Ladybug’s sympathy.

“So who is this mystery person my lady speaks of?” Chat questioned with a flirtatious eyebrow waggle. 

Ladybug laughed at his expression. “No one. Just an old friend I bumped into earlier.”

“Well, do not fear my lady. You can know anything you want about me. I’d let all of the cats out of the bag for you.” Chat hid the grimace at the untruthfulness in his words behind another chat-like smirk. Although he wanted his lady to trust him, there were certain things he wasn’t willing to reveal. 

Ladybug merely smiled, oblivious to his internal struggles. “That’s very kind of you, Chat. Of course I have faith in you. We’ve been partners for two years now, I trust you with my life.”

Even though the Parisian buildings were billowed by the frosty winds of autumn nights, Chat had never been warmer. Ladybug’s conviction in his abilities blazed like a fire in his heart, quickly traveling through his veins like liquid lava, warming every square inch of his body. No one else in all of the world could make him feel so powerful and worthy.

To Ladybug, Chat was everything Adrien wished he could be.

“Well, it’s getting late, Chat. Thanks for keeping me company.” Ladybug’s appreciation sounded so genuine that he almost forgot to be disappointed that she was leaving. 

“Be safe, Bugaboo. Hopefully, I’ll see you soon.”

After more parting words expressing how much he longed to see her again, and with her miraculous giving out shrill chirps, Chat listened to the sound of her casting her yo-yo and to her feet as she leaped from the Eiffel Tower into the chilly night air. 

He was alone, which he never really hated. It was a feeling he had gotten used to after so many years of being imprisoned in his own home. He had learned to find solace in the solitude and in fact, enjoyed it.

He loved it all the more as Chat Noir.

Sitting up over the city of lights with his feet dangling in the air while he listened to the sound of the Parisian people up and about even though it was so late at night was therapeutic, although he couldn’t see the city of lights or the Parisian people, per se. 

But as much as he could convince himself that he liked the isolation, he couldn’t push away the memories of sitting beside Ladybug, listening to her carefully clipped stories and laughing with her as friends.

For some strange reason, his thoughts flitted over to the deaf girl he had stumbled upon earlier that day, Marinette. The sound of her laughter never sounded foreign to him, as if he had heard it before. Of course, he’s heard a lot of people laugh in his life so the chance of him hearing one identical to the girl was likely. 

Chat shook his blonde head, choosing to push away the girl and focus on the night breeze that buffeted him and made him cling to the tower’s beams for support. He pictured the municipality below, imagining the cluttered silhouette of the buildings against the light of the dim glow of the moon, the lanterns casting long fingers of light to fight the abyss of the night until they were defeated by the shadows of the towering architecture. His mind jumped to the windows that were sure to be open to welcome in the chilly air against the heat that thick covers and long winter pajamas had engulfed the sleeping Parisians. He thought of the open windows that housed the night owls, up late with work or defiance of the looming moon, with their bedroom lantern’s glare spilling out of their windows, adding on to the thousands of other beacons twinkling in the City of Lights.

With a pang, he remembered seeing Paris at night for the first time. 

Bright, twinkling, working eyes casting around the streets in awe, following every unnatural beam and connecting them to make a pattern in his mind. A young woman beside him, hair as yellow as corn and as smooth as silk, creamy, creaseless face pulled tight into a carefree smile and brilliant emerald eyes that although watched the same scene with a spark of familiarity, still jumped from one sight to the next in uncontained excitement.

Hoping to see that same memory, to stare into those same radiant orbs, he opened his eyes.

Blackness.

Chat swallowed down the sentiment building in his throat and let his face fall back into the emotionless expression he had learned to adapt over the years, an action that was familiar to him. 

With a heavy sigh, filled with a mix of sweet desire and bitter despair, of affectionate love and remorseful sorrow, of a billowing warmth and a frigid cold, Chat slowly got to his feet. With one last mental nudge to the images still swirling in the back of his mind, he sprang off the tower, baton extending in his hand and tears threatening in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? Ladybug talking? Seemingly hearing? Don't worry, everything will be clear next chapter. Cross your fingers and hope that it doesn't take another two months again.


	4. The  Dreamer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Akuma arrives and Chat is speechless over his Lady's beauty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a general idea of where I'm going for this fic now. So buckle up for some more Ladynoir action!

Ladybug winced as the edge of her vision rippled. Although she couldn’t hear the Akuma from the lack of her auditory senses, her enhanced eyes picked up on the ripple of angry soundwaves and she turned quickly to see a flying shape soaring above the Parisian buildings.

Ladybug perched on the edge of a roof and pulled out her yo-yo before typing the call button next to Chat Noir’s face. 

“Come on, Kitty,” she muttered as the three flashing dots across the screen continued to show their inability to connect her and her cat-themed partner. Finally, the device came through and his mask-clad face appeared on the screen.

“To what do I owe the purr-leasure, bugaboo?” Chat’s smirking lips asked. Ladybug couldn’t help falling to his contagious grin and offered him one herself.

“The pleasure goes to the Akuma victim threatening Paris right now,” she replied snarkily.

“I’ll be right there to give them my thanks. And to see your beautiful face, of course.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes and ended the call. A part of her wanted to wait for her partner to arrive because she always felt safer and more powerful around him. Although the suit gave her eyesight more abilities, like seeing sound waves and knowing if something was moving or talking to her, she still more confident as Ladybug with her Chat nearby.  
More violent ripples went into her line of sight and Ladybug turned to see the villain flying towards her, an angry snarl on her lips. The victim was dressed in a spandex white and light blue suit with a white cloud-shaped mask adorning her face. Her ivory hair was wispy, almost like a cloud, thrown back into a high ponytail that seemed to float behind her as she soared towards Ladybug, carried by two large angelic wings. 

“Ladybug, I’ve finally found you,” she laughed haughtily. “In order to create complete peace, I need your-”

“Let me guess: You want my miraculous?” Ladybug interrupted with a smirk. “You’re skipping steps today, aren’t you? Usually, they tell me their names and then say they want my miraculous.”

The woman glowered, her costume and mask changing from the soft white and blue tones to an angry red with black hues. The tips of her wings were overcome by a coal-gray color that spread, consuming the gentle whiteness it had been and leaving the frightening color in its place. Even her hairs seemed to take up gray wisps on the ends as they slowly transformed.

“The Dreamer will not be talked down like that, Ladybug!” she screeched. Her jarring voice rippled towards Ladybug and she shook her head to clear her vision. 

She looked back at the woman to see her bearing a gun.

“There is so much noise in the world. Violence is the only way to reach ultimate peace.”

With that, and not giving Ladybug any time to react, The Dreamer fired her weapon, sending a blue ball of electricity towards the spotted heroine.

Ladybug braced for the impact but was surprised when none came. She looked up and saw a black figure standing in front of her, grimacing from the blow he had taken for her.

“Chat Noir!” she cried, leaping to his side. There didn’t seem to be any damage and her kitty cat’s mouth cracked open with a grin.

“Don’t look so blue, my lady,” his lips said. His face froze in a shocked expression, hand going to his throat.

“What’s wrong, Chat?” Ladybug asked worriedly.

He looked at her in confusion. “Can’t you hear it?’

She paled. “Hear what?”

“Wait, you can hear me? She took away my voice!”

“Of course I can’t hear you, Chaton,” Ladybug said quickly, face warming. “I’m just a really good lip-reader.”

He looked at her suspiciously. “That’s lucky.”

You have no idea.

“Anyways, I think The Dreamer flew off in the direction of the Louvre,” Ladybug said, pulling his attention from her abilities to the task at hand.

“After you, my lady,” Chat’s lips read with a wink. Ladybug, still frazzled with her lie gave him a small smile before throwing her yo-yo and leaping off the building towards where she had seen the victim escape to.

They landed at the museum, baton and yo-yo at hand as they scanned the area around them, looking for the demonic character.

“Why is it so quiet?” Chat’s lips grimaced.

Welcome to my world.

“I think The Dreamer’s power is to create quiet. Noiselessness is a form of peace.”

“So she’s stealing people’s voices?” Chat asked, eyebrows knitted.

“Not just people,” Ladybug nodded towards a group of birds who looked as if they were squawking but she knew that if they were making any sound, her enhanced eyesight would have picked up on the sound waves.

“Then what?” Chat asked, not seeming to notice that she was gesturing towards the group of animals.

“Where I’m pointing,” Ladybug responded in exasperation. “Right behind you.”

The leather-clad hero turned to where she had originally directed him to, although his eyes didn’t seem to focus right on the animals.

Suddenly, he seemed to jolt as his face sprung forward into the crook of his elbow. Ladybug ran to him in concern until she saw him wipe his nose on the back of his gloved hand, eyes looking droopy after the sneeze. “Sorry, I’m allergic to birds,” he smiled sheepishly.

She let out a breath. “It’s okay Chaton,” she responded, shaking her head to get rid of the jitters she felt. If she kept acting this weird, her partner would catch on to her lack of senses.

“We know The Dreamer passed through here,” she thought aloud.

“We just have to follow the silence until we find her,” Chat suggested.

Easier said than done, she thought grimly.

“Okay, lead the way,” Ladybug ordered.

Chat hesitated, brows furrowed. “Wouldn’t it be better if you led the way?”

“How so?”

“Well,” he paused in thought. “You seem to know where you’re going.”

“Just follow the silence. That was your idea!” Ladybug snapped, growing frustrated. Normally, she would jump at the chance to lead her partner into battle. However, listening wasn’t her strong suit and she was willing him to understand, for the sake of her hidden disability.

The top edge of her eyesight rippled, warning her of a company, and she looked up to see The Dreamer flying above, her wings and outfit restored back to ivory and sapphire hues.

The villain was sneering at them with glowing gold eyes behind her cloud-shaped mask. “What’s wrong kitty? Cat got your tongue?”

Chat visually seethed. “Purr-lease. That joke is so unoriginal.”

The victim, as expected, couldn’t hear his response and seemed to be amused by his soundless gapes.

“Soon, all of Paris will be quiet. All I need to do is shut Ladybug up and get both of your miraculous for Hawkmoth.”

“Purr-don me, but I believe my lady has a beautiful voice,” Chat’s lips spoke.

Ladybug giggled. “Thanks, Kitty.”

“Stop talking!” The Dreamer snarled, golden eyes switching from one hero to the other. “I can’t take all of this noise!”

“I can’t take that outfit,” Chat’s lips mocked. Ladybug stifled another laugh.  
The Dreamer didn’t miss the exchange. “Stop talking!” she growled again, her outfit slowly changing back to scarlet and ebony. The transformation crept along her wings and hair, turning them back into the charcoal gray from earlier.

A gun appeared in her hand, same as before. And again, as before, she wasted no time on words and fired the weapon at Ladybug.

The spotted heroine was prepared, however, and she easily dodged the ball of blue energy. 

Chat was not so lucky.

“Look out!” Ladybug warned, and the blond suddenly seemed to realize the danger but the energy was already barreling into him. “Chat!” Ladybug screeched as she watched him crumple under the power.

“Annoying stray!” The Dreamer spat before lifting the gun once more and aiming at Ladybug.

This time, the Akumatized victim fired a series of shots. Ladybug leaped and hurdled over them, panting with the excursion. She was dodging them with ease until one that hit way too closely sent her tumbling backward. The Dreamer appeared before her, laughing wickedly as she lifted the gun to aim right at Ladybug’s chest.

“Any last words, Ladybug?” the villain asked with a smirk.

Ladybug scanned the woman, searching for either an Akumatized object or a way out. She could see ripples coming from The Dreamer’s mouth but chose to ignore it. 

Something was knotted into her wispy gray hair and Ladybug’s blue eyes wasted no time in studying it, knowing that she had found the Akuma. Her eyes lazily drifted back to The Dreamer’s lips.

Just in time to read them as they said, “Goodbye Ladybug.”

Ladybug flinched, expecting the sting of the blue ball of energy just as she had done during her first meeting with The Dreamer.

And just as before, a leather-clad body jumped in front of the blast.

“Nooo!” she screeched, not wanting to see her partner hit a third time.

But instead of connecting with his body, only his hand met the shot. Ladybug’s eyes saw the crackle of dark energy surrounding his clawed fingers just before the blue ball engulfed his gloved hand. With an explosion that overwhelmed Ladybug’s vision with large waves, the electric ball evaporated, throwing both superheroes back with an incredible force.

Ladybug groaned as she made impact with the wall of the Louvre and the air was knocked out of her lungs. She sat up, rubbing her head with a grimace.

“Chaton?” she called quietly. Her sapphire eyes scanned the skies for The Dreamer but the villain had disappeared, probably to find someone else to silence.

She stood up shakily and again looked around the courtyard for any sign of her partner but the super cat was nowhere to be found. “Chat!” she called, this time louder and more desperately, her voice in between a plea and a scream.

Movement in the corner of her eyes. Ladybug turned quickly to see a figure lying on the ground several feet away.

“Kitty!” she yelled, running on unstable legs to her partner, who was shifting back into consciousness.

“Ladybug?” his dry and cracked lips whispered and one unnaturally emerald eye cracked open to fix on the sky.

“I’m here, Chat,” Ladybug gasped, sitting down next to him and stroking his wild hair. His ears shifted as they absorbed sound, and a huge grin appeared on the boy’s face. 

“Don’t worry about me, Ladybug. I’m feline better already.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes but couldn’t help granting him the satisfaction of making her laugh. The sound that left her lips felt more strained with relief then joyous and carefree like she usually felt during such rituals.

It still stretched his mouth into a huge shit-eating grin.

A grin that faltered when a shrill beep was heard between them.

Chat sat up, a pained expression on his face as he raked his claw-tipped fingers through the mop of blond hair atop his head. “My head feels so fuzzy,” he groaned. “You can go track down cloud girl without me. I have to recharge.”

Ladybug nodded. “If you come across her, do not make her mad. She only has the gun when she’s in the demonic red and black appearance. I’m guessing that she only turns that way when she hears a loud sound and is annoyed. All we have to do is not make any sound and strike her while she’s still blue and white.”  
Chat Noir was nodding, although a worried expression had come over his face. “I’ll try and find you as soon as I’ve transformed again. Don’t do anything stupid and be safe.”

Ladybug gave him a reassuring smile. “What? Has my kitty lost faith in me?”

To her surprise, Chat found his feet and towered over her, face grim. “Promise me, Ladybug. Please be sensible when you confront her. You’ve had some close calls already and I don’t want anything to happen to you when I’m not there to protect you. I would never forgive myself.”

Ladybug’s throat was choked with emotion. She knew her Chat was just protective, but his concern for her warmed her heart. “I’ll stay out of trouble, Chaton.”

Chat smiled in comfort before turning and bounding away to a nearby building. 

Ladybug took that as her cue to hunt down the victim and she ran in the other direction before whipping her yo-yo out and casting it far so she could propel her body through the Parisian streets.

Chat’s plan of following the silence had been a good one if only she could hear to be able to detect where the noise was and wasn’t. She would have to rely on her enhanced eyesight, however, she could only see the wavelengths if she were somewhat close to the source of the noise.

It seemed eerily still, no sound waves meeting her eyes, and Ladybug took that as motivation to move forward. Something shifted out of the corner of her eye, and Ladybug turned to see a little boy creeping out of the shadows, eyes wide in recognition. The boy seemed to be unhurt, though his eyes were fearful as he looked around the empty streets. He spoke, lips forming words but Ladybug knew that no sound was coming from him.

“Please help Ladybug,” he sobbed.

She kneeled down beside him and traced a gloved hand across his soggy tear-streaked face. “Don’t worry. I’ll bring your voice back,” she promised. His mouth cracked into a toothy grin, cheeks still moist but spirits lifted. Ladybug left him there to silently cheer her on as she cast her yo-yo out and took off once again.

She had been swinging past the park across from College Francois Dupont when her eyes were assaulted by a flurry of ripples. She turned to the park to see several children running around and playing with their parents, sound waves coming from their open mouths as they laughed.

Ladybug was about to backtrack and take another, more quiet route when a fiery figure passed above her and stalled in the air, glaring down at the carefree children.

The Dreamer was still in her angry configuration, looking as pissed off as a stormcloud about to strike. Ladybug watched with wide eyes as the villain lifted her gun and screamed, gaining the attention of the civilians.

“Shut up, already!” she snarled, golden eyes narrowed and nose scrunched up. “There’s no peace and quiet around here! How can anyone dream with all of this racket?”

The kids suddenly started to scream in terror and they took off in different directions, trying to get away from the monster and to their worried parents.

The Dreamer merely rolled her blazing eyes and proceeded to shoot crackling blue energy at the fleeing people. The sound waves coming from the park slowly dimmed until there was only one child who still had her voice.

The Akumatized woman landed in front of her, smirking evilly as she choked on sobs. Ladybug leaped forward to stop it but it was too late. The Dreamer pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened. 

The Dreamer’s lips formed a curse and her giant gray wings propelled her into the air, away from the crying children. Ladybug’s enhanced eyes didn’t miss the blossoming of blue over her white suit and the fluffy whiteness that overcame her hair as she disappeared into the clouds.

“Is everyone okay?” Ladybug asked the children and parents once she landed next to them. At the sight of her, they stopped crying and crowded around her in awe. “Don’t worry, I’ll get your voices back,” Ladybug promised. “I need you all to be strong for me.” 

They all wordlessly nodded and she gave them one last reassuring smile before once again taking off in the direction of the Akuma.

She had a plan now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun.
> 
> Thanks for reading!!! Please leave comments and kudos!!!


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